Voneye Slough in Hand County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Hand County, Voneye Slough is a South Dakota water. The ground around here is lake country bush. At 19 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Hand County list. Fort Thompson sits 25 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Miller is 25 miles and Chamberlain 30 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Voneye Slough

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Survey and observation records for Hand County include northern pike, black bullhead, bluegill and green sunfish. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Voneye Slough a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 73°F; the cold one sits at 15°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Voneye Slough runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Wall Lake at 7.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Voneye Slough for certain.